In 1995 I did a month of student teaching at Girard Elementary in South Philadelphia. My supervising teacher not only bought her own supplies but she was also bringing in winter coats and basic necessities for kids. How could she not? She couldnt teach cold, dirty kids without helping them feel safe and cared for. There was a huge disconnect between family and school -- no longer building community - simply surviving. This teacher - Ciancetta - chose to leave - and that is Philadelphias loss because you can tell she is a TRUE TEACHER by how she honors her students behavior for what it is - a communication about how it feels to BE in a situation - rather than just bad kids showing a NEED for more discipline. --- I build relationships with kids - thats what helps them learn, Ciancetta said. She was eventually able to reach some of her students this year, but many of them had serious emotional issues and few sources of support to address them. My principal was working really hard, but there was one of him, Ciancetta said. Students behavior is a clear sign that they know theyre getting a raw deal, Ciancetta said. They dont verbalize it, say, This is an injustice, she said. They act on it. They run the halls. They smoke in school. They cut class. The final straw? Ciancetta had oral surgery in December and expected to be out for 10 days. But the district doctor wouldnt clear her to return to work for three months, because there was no guarantee that I wouldnt get hit in the face.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 19:28:19 +0000
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